MOVIE FACT OR FICTION?
Dante’s Peak, a volcano-disaster thriller from Universal Studios, available on videocassette, dramatizes some real-world concerns faced by communities located near active volcanoes in the United States. Set in the northern Cascade Range of Washington State, the movie portrays the roles of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists and local public officials during the reawakening and eruption of a fictional volcano – one that resembles dozens of real volcanoes in Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and northern California. To separate fact from fiction, here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the movie and the USGS mission to reduce the risk from dangerous volcanoes.
